Banked bonus player selection

Abstract

Gaming systems and method that provide a banked bonus player selection feature including a symbol display such as a displayed wheel having a plurality of displayed player selectable sections for a play of a multi-player game.

The claims are as follows: 
     
       1. A method of operating a gaming system to provide a play of a multi-player game, said method comprising:
 causing a display, by a display device, of a wheel and a plurality of selectable sections of the wheel, wherein the sections are respectively associated with a plurality of different awards for the play of the multi-player game, and wherein the sections are displayed without displaying any of the awards in association with the sections; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of a quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of a plurality of qualified players; 
 after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each qualified player, of a player indication associated with the qualified player and with the section selected by the qualified player; 
 after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each of the sections selected by the qualified players, of an award symbol associated with that section; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of the wheel spinning; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of the wheel stopped after spinning and an indicator indicating one of the sections; and 
 causing a display, by the display device, of an indication associated with the qualified player that selected the indicated section. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing the player indications associated with the qualified players to be displayed on respective sections selected by the qualified players. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of two player indications associated with two of the qualified players associated with a same one of the sections selected by the two qualified players. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, for each section selected by one of the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, of the award symbol associated with that section on the section adjacent to the player indication displayed on the section. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of the plurality of qualified players as only one section. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of two of the qualified players as different quantities. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each of the sections not selected by any of the qualified players, of an award symbol associated with that section. 
     
     
       8. A method of operating a gaming system to provide a play of a multi-player game, the method comprising:
 causing a display, by a display device, of a wheel, a plurality of selectable sections of the wheel, and a plurality of different awards on the sections; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of a quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of a plurality of qualified players, wherein each qualified player is based on the qualified player having accumulated qualifications at least of a minimum qualification threshold; 
 after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each qualified player, of a player indication associated with the qualified player on the section selected by the qualified player; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of the wheel spinning; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of the wheel stopped after spinning and an indicator indicating one of the sections; and 
 causing a display, by the display device, of an indication of the qualified player that selected the indicated section. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of two player indications associated with two of the qualified players associated with a same one of the sections selected by the two qualified players. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, for each section selected by one of the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, of the award symbol associated with that section on the section adjacent to the player indication displayed on the section. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of the plurality of qualified players as only one section. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of two of the plurality of qualified players as different quantities. 
     
     
       13. A method of operating a gaming system to provide a play of a multi-player game, the method comprising:
 causing a display, by a display device, of a symbol display object and a plurality of selectable sections of the symbol display object, wherein the sections are respectively associated with a plurality of different awards for the play of the multi-player game, and wherein the sections are displayed without displaying any of the awards in association with the sections; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of a quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of a plurality of qualified players; 
 after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each qualified player, of a player indication associated with the qualified player on the section selected by the qualified player; 
 after receipt of player selections for each of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each of the sections selected by the qualified players, of an award symbol on that section; 
 causing a display, by the display device, of an indication of one of the sections of the symbol display object; and 
 causing a display, by the display device, of an indication of each of the qualified players that selected the indicated section of the symbol display object. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of two player indications associated with two of the qualified players associated with a same one of the sections selected by the two qualified players. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, for each section selected by one of the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, of the award symbol associated with that section on the section adjacent to the player indication displayed on the section. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of the plurality of qualified players as only one section. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of the quantity of the sections that can be selected by each of two of the plurality of qualified players as different quantities. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for the play of the multi-player game, after receipt of player selections for each of the sections that can be selected by the qualified players, causing a display, by the display device, for each of the sections not selected by any of the qualified players, of an award symbol associated with that section. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , which comprises, for multiple different plays of the multi-player game, causing a display, by the display device, of different award symbols on the same sections of the symbol award display. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the symbol display object comprises a wheel.